--SS Jimmy Rollins batted .417 during the three-week World Baseball Classic in March, making him the hottest hitter on Team USA and portending a fast start for the Phillies' star shortstop and leadoff-hitting catalyst. It didn't work out that way. Rollins batted only .207 -- with a .241 on-base percentage -- in April and struggled so much that manager Charlie Manuel took him out of the lineup on consecutive Sundays in an effort to get his swing straightened out. Looking back, Rollins says he was suffering from a World Baseball Classic hangover.
"It was a big thing to go there," Rollins said. "You were focused right away. Everything counted. There was no time to be unfocused. It was the importance of it all, and it helps playing in a team like that. You're playing with some of the best players in baseball. But when we got back, even with Shane (Victorino), the first couple games were like, what am I doing? It was rough. Your skills and effort don't change. It was just hard to get up. But the last 15 games or so, I've been feeling refreshed. You get that air back in that balloon." Through Thursday night, Rollins was batting .293 (12-for-41) in nine games.
--LHP Cole Hamels will make his first start Friday night since spraining his left ankle in the fifth inning April 28 at Citizens Bank Park. And although his ankle will be taped, Hamels won't have any restrictions, according to pitching coach Rich Dubee. Asked how many pitches Hamels will be permitted to throw, Dubee joked, "150, 180. He's got to make up for lost time." But after two wretched starts to open the season, Hamels pitched better in his last two starts, both shortened by freak injuries. He allowed two runs and struck out six in 3 1/3 innings April 23 against Milwaukee before being hit in the left shoulder by a line drive. And before suffering the sprained ankle, he tossed 4-1/3 shutout innings against Washington. "I thought he was coming along great until he got derailed," Dubee said.
MEDICAL WATCH:
LHP Cole Hamels (sprained left ankle) left his April 28 start. He threw a bullpen session May 5, and he is expected to start May 8.
ROTATION:
LHP Cole Hamels
RHP Brett Myers
LHP Jamie Moyer
RHP Joe Blanton
RHP Chan Ho Park
BULLPEN:
RHP Brad Lidge (closer)
RHP Ryan Madson
RHP Chad Durbin
LHP Scott Eyre
RHP Clay Condrey
LHP J.A. Happ
LHP Jack Taschner
CATCHERS:
Carlos Ruiz
Chris Coste
INFIELDERS:
1B Ryan Howard
2B Chase Utley
SS Jimmy Rollins
3B Pedro Feliz
INF Eric Bruntlett
INF Miguel Cairo
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Raul Ibanez
CF Shane Victorino
RF Jayson Werth
OF/INF Greg Dobbs
OF Matt Stairs
